SAM #FA890326A067901

Sole Source Digital Content Subscription for The Economist for Air Force Libraries

This opportunity is a planned sole source contract by the Department of the Air Force (772d Enterprise Sourcing Squadron) for a digital content subscription to The Economist, provided exclusively by THE ECONOMIST NEWSPAPER, N.A. INCORPORATED. - Agency: Department of the Air Force, Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC), 772 Enterprise Sourcing Squadron - Sole source supplier: THE ECONOMIST NEWSPAPER, N.A. INCORPORATED - Product: Digital content subscription to The Economist - Unlimited, simultaneous user access (24/7) - Includes web-based access, mobile app, audio editions, podcasts, newsletters, exclusive online content (Briefings, Special Reports, Leaders articles) - Bookmarking capability for articles - Secure access requirements: TLS 1.3, HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) with long duration, RSA 2048-bit website certificates - Database usage statistics by Branch of Service - Collaboration with contract POC for authentication methods - Period of performance: Four years (12-month base period + three 12-month option periods) - Base period: 30 September 2026 – 29 September 2027 - Option periods: Extend through 29 September 2030 - Commercial opportunity: Sole source due to proprietary content and exclusive rights - OEM: THE ECONOMIST NEWSPAPER, N.A. INCORPORATED - Estimated contract value: Likely in the range of $50,000 to $200,000 for a four-year subscription - No competing vendors identified due to exclusivity, but similar digital news content providers could include The Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Bloomberg - Primary product line item: The Economist Digital Content Subscription (1 subscription per year, 4 years total) - No additional services requested

Description

NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD SOLE SOURCE

The 772d Enterprise Sourcing Squadron (772 ESS) intends to award a Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) contract to a single source, THE ECONOMIST NEWSPAPER, N.A. INCORPORATED, under the authority of RFO 6.103-1 (Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements) on 15 September 2026. The period of performance (PoP) shall be: 30 September 2026 – 29 September 2030.

PSC:

7630

NAICS:

513120

Small Business Size Standard:

1,000 employees

Subscription:

The Economist’s Digital Content Subscription

Supplier:

THE ECONOMIST NEWSPAPER, N.A. INCORPORATED

Product Description:

The mission of the Department of Defense (DoD) Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) Libraries is to support military personnel assigned to contingency operations, remote sites, and military missions in accordance with DoDI 1015.10, Military Morale, Welfare, and Recreation Programs. To support mission readiness, voluntary education, and quality of life, DoD Libraries require a subscription to The Economist Online. The requirement is for 24/7 unlimited, simultaneous user access to the digital edition of The Economist through established authentication methods.

The subscription includes searchable web-based access, the Economist mobile application, audio editions, podcasts, digital newsletters, and exclusive online content, including The Economist Briefings and Special Reports, which provide in-depth analysis of global political, economic, scientific, technological, and business topics, as well as the weekly Leaders articles featuring fact-based commentary on significant global events.

· Must be able to provide access to an easily searchable and viewable version of the digital web-based version of The Economist journal.

· Must provide access to The Economist app, audio versions, podcasts and digital newsletters.

· Must provide access to the full weekly edition with the ability to bookmark articles.

· Must provide access to The Economist morning briefing and other exclusive content available at The Economist Online website.

· Must provide access to The Economist briefings and special reports, providing in-depth research and analysis on global topics spanning politics, economics, science and technology, and business.

· Must provide The Economist weekly Leaders - fact-based opinion pieces on events shaping the global agendas.

· 24/7 unlimited, simultaneous access and unlimited user access of digital version of The Economist.

· Must work with contract POC to establish authentication methods to provide optimal accessibility for all eligible patrons.

· Security between the Website and server must be Transport Layer Security (TLS) 1.3.

· Must be able to supply or allow retrieval of database usage statistics by Branch of Service (Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Military OneSource/Other, and Navy).

· Must have HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) with long duration deployed on the servers to mitigate/prevent man-in-the-middle attacks.

· Website certificates shall be RSA 2048-bits (SHA256withRSA)

This notice of intent is not a request for competitive quotations. However, all responsible sources may submit a capability statement, proposal, or quotation, which shall be considered by the Government. The Government will consider responses received by 20 August 2026, 12:00 PM, CST for this notice. The Government will not pay for any information received in response to this announcement. A determination not to compete this requirement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government.

Contractors Should Be Aware of the Following Information:

 1. Contractors MUST include the following information:

a. Points of contact, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers.

b. Identification as a large U.S. business, a small U.S. business, or a foreign business. Please note that size indicated should be based on the NAICS code for this effort listed above.

c. Identification of any other socioeconomic status including Women-Owned Small Business, Economically Disadvantaged Small Business, 8(a), Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business, Veteran Owned Small Business or HUBZone.

d. Company CAGE Code and UEI.

2. If this posting specifically references brand name products, offerors are encouraged to suggest products other than those specifically referenced. Responses must address how the alternate product meets the product characteristics specified above.

3. Submitted information shall be UNCLASSIFIED.

4. Responses are limited to 10 pages in a Microsoft Word or PDF compatible format.

Responses shall be e-mailed to Contracting Specialist: Homer Rios at homer.rios@us.af.mil and Contracting Officer: TSgt Vaughn Swinton at vaughn.swinton@us.af.mil @us.af.mil no later than 20 August 2026, 12:00 PM, CST

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